ECOLOGY is the study of the relationships between living organisms (biotic factors) and their physical environment (abiotic factors).
The word comes from Greek, oikos- for house and -ology for study; ecology literally translates as study of the house. We already know that it’s much more than that.
In streams and rivers in Colorado, rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), are affected by whirling disease. This affects their nervous and skeletal systems, leading to malformation, nervous disorders, and the tail-chasing behavior for which the disease is named.
The disease is caused by a microorganism, which happens to be an amoeba that produces a spore. This amoeba is a water-borne parasite called Myxobolus cerebralis. This whirling disease parasite has a two-host lifecycle that involves trout and a common, bottom-dwelling Tubifex worm that acts as an alternate host. So this is an example of an ecological problem because it involves the relationship between organisms and their environment. Microscopic “bug” infects worms and fish, deformed fish can’t function well, streams and rivers carry the parasite, fish are sick, the habitat is unhealthy.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has been using a variety of methods to stop the spread of the parasite and to improve the health of the fish population.
Today, you will be examining “mock” fish samples taken from eight sampling sites, A5-H5, and you will be recording your observations in the table on the flip side of this page. This information will be used to determine if control methods are working and to make action recommendations to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
ECOLOGY is the study of the relationships between living organisms (biotic factors) and their physical environment (abiotic factors).
The word comes from Greek, oikos- for house and -ology for study; ecology literally translates as study of the house. We already know that it’s much more than that.
In streams and rivers in Colorado, rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), are affected by whirling disease. This affects their nervous and skeletal systems, leading to malformation, nervous disorders, and the tail-chasing behavior for which the disease is named.
The disease is caused by a microorganism, which happens to be an amoeba that produces a spore. This amoeba is a water-borne parasite called Myxobolus cerebralis. This whirling disease parasite has a two-host lifecycle that involves trout and a common, bottom-dwelling Tubifex worm that acts as an alternate host. So this is an example of an ecological problem because it involves the relationship between organisms and their environment. Microscopic “bug” infects worms and fish, deformed fish can’t function well, streams and rivers carry the parasite, fish are sick, the habitat is unhealthy.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has been using a variety of methods to stop the spread of the parasite and to improve the health of the fish population.
Today, you will be examining “mock” fish samples taken from eight sampling sites, A5-H5, and you will be recording your observations in the table on the flip side of this page. This information will be used to determine if control methods are working and to make action recommendations to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.